GlobalCenter offers a server load balancing service, based on the industry
acclaimed and leading F5 BigIP product. A pair of BigIP's in a redundant
configuration are shared amongst customers requiring load balancing for
HTTP, FTP, SMTP or any application that is connection oriented.

One or more application
servers are configured in a server "pool", which is then mapped
to a virtual IP address (VIP). The DNS for the application is then changed
to point to the VIP. When a request comes into the VIP, the BigIP performs
a destination address rewrite, sends it to the application server, and
then performs a source address rewrite as the packet leaves to go back
to the requesting client.

Customer Security

Placing each customer in their own dedicated VLAN ensures security between
customers.

The BigIP can also
act in limited capacity as a firewall by performing simplistic packet
filtering based on source and destination address. GlobalCenter recommend
that customers run a dedicated firewall solution to ensure a higher level
of IP security.